Sunday, March 2, 2008

Not so surprisingly, what immediately came to mind after reading this headline was Marshall McLuhan’s theories of media as the message, along with the concept of remediation. We have evidently transformed our habits of acquiring news from primary sources like newspapers to television and now the internet. McLuhan emphasizes the characteristics of the medium as the way in which it affects the society. And it is through theses characteristics that that engage the viewer in different ways. Now apply this to the tools used to access web news: computers, laptops, cell phones, PDAs, and more. People are simply more absorbed into an atmosphere where they are able to interact with their medium. Their source of news can now be customized to their liking, including whether they prefer real news or satirical fake news. From drag and drop, copy paste, forward or share, the user is now in control of their news at the tip of his/her fingers and where it goes. However:

“While most people think journalism is important to the quality of life, 64 percent are dissatisfied with the quality of journalism in their communities, a We Media/Zogby Interactive online poll showed.”

This statement caught my attention as it linked to what we have discussed in class about the quality of information that floats around the web. I was interested to see that there is a significant amount of people who have also noticed their quality of journalism have decreased. What itches me further is the question of change. Is this group of dissatisfied readers and viewers able to ignite social change for higher standards of journalism?

As if the sudden onset of the greening movement wasn’t already driving panic into the minds of people to be much more cautious of their actions, it’s also being massively exploited by marketing companies. The Onion has created a video in response to Bush’s pledge of creating hybrid engine carriers being used in Iraq, as an environmental initiative. The need to green is spreading worldwide in an attempt to redirect our future away from extreme climate change. Like diet trends, this green movement has been turned into a fad to promote healthy living, losing its focus on what is really at hand. Because its nature reaches you on a personal level, the need to be environmentally keen is a survival necessity. You must take initiative into your own hands to preserve your quality of life!

Robert Braun asks the panel: “Should we be doing more to make the war in Iraq more eco-friendly?” and subsequently awakens the notion of America being ruthless a leader when they can make light of a devastating situation. The war will certainly not cease, but they can make torture more ecologically sound.